


Keep It Under

by BKLily



Series: Danganronpa Roleplays [4]
Category: Dangan Ronpa - All Media Types, Original Work
Genre: Angst, Drama, Heartbreak, School Festivals, Unrequited Love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-22
Updated: 2020-05-22
Packaged: 2021-03-02 22:48:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,478
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24314557
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BKLily/pseuds/BKLily
Summary: Yosuke works up the courage to ask out his best friend.
Relationships: Takeo Odoroki/Ryuuichi Hanabi, Yosuke Karasu/Ryuuichi Hanabi
Series: Danganronpa Roleplays [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1314758
Comments: 1
Kudos: 3





	Keep It Under

**Author's Note:**

> "So that's where it ends  
> 'Cause baby, I love you  
> But I am never gonna tell you so  
> We can be friends  
> But never a couple  
> I don't wanna, I don't wanna lose you, no  
> So I'll just go, go, gonna keep it under  
> It's good just the way that it is  
> Go, go, gonna keep it under  
> 'Cause there's just too much I would miss" - Damien Dawn, Keep It Under

Hope’s Peak was holding a culture festival, with all the cliche stuff: horror house, maid cafe, themed classrooms and bonfire dancing, over two days. There was even it’s own stupid little legend! The students believed that, if a couple got together right as the fireworks started to fill the sky at the end of the second day, they were fated to obtain happiness and eternal love. It was a really, really dumb legend, and most people even joked how there was no proof it actually worked. 

I mean, who would even believe such a thing?

“...So, what are your plans for the second day of the festival?” Yosuke asked while hanging a few decorations on the windows. 

Thanks to their height, Ryuuichi, Kosei and him were basically forced to help decorate their classroom, and transform it into a proper “Old Japanese Garden” for the guests to drink tea and eat delicacies. It was Akira’s idea and all the cool ones were already taken by other classrooms. Everyone had already done most of the work, only the minor decoration details and ceiling work were left to the giants.

“I’m definitely gonna check out the other classes and their exhibits!” Ryuu nodded with a grin, carefully arranging the tables and cushions next to them. “I really wanna see what they did with the ‘horror house’, considering the budget.” He chuckled, squinting at the hot glue gun in the corner.

Yosuke huffed a bit with a small smile. “I don’t suppose it’s going to be actually scary, but they already managed to fighten Date so, I suppose it’s a win.” He barely had enough time to turn before Ryuu rushed to him.

“WHAT? When did  _ that  _ happen?!” He looked half amused and half incredulous. Yosuke rolled his eye with a smirk.

“One of them dropped a box full of fake bugs and Date just so happened to be walking by. One could have mistaken his scream for a small girl’s.” The doctor couldn’t hold back a chuckle when Ryuu started to laugh.

“Aw come oooon! Why did I have to miss that!” He kicked a few cut papers on the floor, pouting weakly. Yosuke went back to gluing the fake sky on the ceiling.

“Well, maybe if you convince him to go with you on the second day, you can see his terrified face again.” He heard Ryuu sigh and rummage through a few of the boxes.

“Nah, he’s going to walk around with Asaka. One class is doing it’s own ‘build a bear’ schtick and she really wanted to go.” He chuckled, but Yosuke noticed the small hint of sadness in his tone.

“Oh, so you don’t have any company for tomorrow?” He restrained the excitement in his voice, not wanting to give away his feelings so easily. 

“I mean, when you put it like that it’s depressing!” He whined, throwing a crumbled paper at Yosuke’s back. “But it’s fine! I’m independent and strong and need no supervision!” He puffed out his chest with pride.

“You can barely cook your lunch.” The doctor said in a flat tone.

“Wha- That’s because my so-called  _ teacher _ hasn’t gotten past the breakfast lessons yet!” He pointed at Yosuke with a childish frown, making him chuckle. 

“Oh, so now it is  _ my _ fault?” He shook his head, having finished the job and stepping down from the small ladder.

Yosuke licked his lips nervously, fighting down the hopeful smile that wanted to appear. It was pitiful, embarrassing even, to get this worked up over a stupid, completely fake legend that probably started with dumb gossip. He wasn’t even sure about… any of this. His feelings, his “plan” (which was mostly just compiled suggestions from Kechibi) and his courage to go through with it.

He certainly knew that what he felt for Ryuuichi wasn’t simple friendship, but something  _ more _ . He was too skeptical to call it “love” just yet, seeing how he still felt guilt over Simon and how their relationship ended. But… he also couldn’t deny that, every time he saw the actor smile or laugh… it helped ease away most of that terrible weight on his heart.

And yet, he was afraid that- if he opened up about his feelings… it could change their friendship forever. Just the thought of that scared him more than a fake spider scared Haru. Still… he wanted to try. 

Maybe. 

Just once.

Just this once, he could be a little selfish, and claim a bit of happiness for himself.

He cleared his throat. “...Anyway, that’s such a coincidence, because I also don’t have any plans with one of our classmates during the second day.” His hands fidgeted a little, and he tried to sound casual while putting away the unused clouds. 

“Oh, really?” Ryuu asked curiously, entertained with his job. Yosuke gulped.

“Yes. And I was thinking... Rather, I considered the possibility-”

The obnoxious ringtone of Ryuu’s phone interrupted him, cutting through the silence of the empty classroom. The actor clumsily dropped his materials, picking up the call with an apologetic glance to Yosuke. The doctor shrugged.

“It’s fine, take it.” He tried to sound relaxed as he resumed his cleaning up job, and Ryuu nodded, quickly exiting the classroom. 

Yosuke took a few deep breaths. He could do this. It wasn’t a big deal. He wasn’t proposing anything too preposterous. 

Just- two friends chilling. 

Two dudes hanging out.

Two bros-

Ryuuichi burst into the classroom with excited steps, making high pitched noises and grinning happily. “YosukeYosukeYosukeYosuke-” He ran over to him, hopping in place. 

Yosuke sighed and stood up, putting a hand on his hip and holding up the other one. “Alright, I’m listening- cut the high energy introduction.” 

Ryuuichi leaned forward, clutching his phone against his chest. “Takeo just called me! He said the rehearsal times for his work were moved and he can make it to the second day of the festival!” Ryuu did a little excited dance. “When I asked him yesterday he was really bummed out cuz he wouldn’t be able to come and now he can!” 

Yosuke carefully looked at Ryuu’s expression. The way he was talking and yet couldn’t stop smiling, the pink color that now painted his cheeks, the subtle sparkle in his eyes when he talked about the other actor. Yosuke recognized all of those. 

Kanade said he looked exactly like that when he talked about Ryuu.

Crossing his arms so he couldn’t see the way Yosuke’s hands started to tremble, he gave him a coy smirk. “Well, I guess one of us found company for the festival.” He couldn’t even imagine what sort of face he was making, but he was masking it well enough since the lovestruck actor didn’t notice. 

“Oh- yeah! I guess, huh-” He tugged at his bangs with an embarrassed smile, unknowingly stepping all over Yosuke’s already shattering heart. “Ah, what were you saying before, by the way? That you were considering something?” He tilted his head innocently, and Yosuke resisted the urge to simply storm out of the room without a word. Instead, he cleared his throat, turning away from Ryuu and starting to close down the boxes of decorations. 

“I was going to say, I was thinking about inviting Kanade to tour the school, since you two are so buddy buddy.” He chuckled weakly, trying to mask the way his playful tone felt so empty. “But I guess now you’ll be too busy to ‘nerd out’ with her.” The doctor stood up, ready to close up the classroom. Ryuu let out an offended gasp.

“Hey! I’m never busy for the best Karasu sibling!” He joked, catching up to Yosuke at the doors. “It would be super fun to see her again! We can all tour the festival together during the day!” 

Yosuke bit the inside of his cheek subtly, raising an eyebrow at Ryuu. “Oh? And what about the night?”

Any remaining hope he had remaining vanished when he saw the way Ryuu’s face flushed red with the insinuating question. Honestly, he felt stupid for even having that hope in the first place.

“Um… W-Well about that…” Ryuu scratched his cheek, but Yosuke simply waved and stepped out of the classroom, chuckling.

“I was just teasing you, don’t worry.” He hoped the dimmed lights in the hallway helped mask his pitiful expression. “I wish you both the best of luck.” He teased, sticking out his tongue and starting to make his way down the hallway, hearing the embarrassed yells of the actor echo around him. 

This was for the best, he silently reminded himself. A tainted person like him wasn’t deserving of everything Ryuuchi had to offer. He would be fine. He would be content in watching from the sidelines, wishing for his friend’s happiness and success.

He repeated that speech inside his mind during all the way back to the dorms.

**Author's Note:**

> im sorry caitlin ily i promise


End file.
